Upper Slaughter, Cotswolds

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Visit Upper Slaughter

Upper Slaughter is a very scenic village to the north of Bourton-on-the-Water and south-east of Stow-on-the-Wold, in the Cotswolds county of Gloucestershire. It is a short way north of the attractive neighbouring village at Lower Slaughter.

Visit Upper Slaughter

the old school house with mullioned windows

The village is small yet perfectly formed, if a little less picturesque that its southern neighbour - hence it attracts fewer visitors than Lower Slaughter. take the path between the two villages (less than 2km distance) for the best way to appreciate the area, or even walk to both from Bourton-on-the-Water - it's not far and well worth the effort.

Nothing much remains of the castle that was once the focus of Upper Slaughter. The village is now centred around the 12th century Saint Peters Church and graveyard, and an open square surrounded by attractive traditional houses in the trademark yellow stone. The slow moving River Eye and a sprinkiling of stone footbridges are the 'finishing touches'.

Several of the properties were restructured by the well known architect Sir Edward Lutyens about 100 years ago (full marks for a fine and sympathetic job!), while others are unchanged since much earlier.

Be sure to allow time to amble around absorbing the atmosphere and enjoying some of the architectural detail featured on the buildings - the mullioned windows on the Old School House for example.

I haven't been able to get back to Upper Slaughter recently, but one thing I'm confident of - when I do not much will have changed in this pretty village since the last time I visited - it is this timeless beauty that is part of the appeal!

Note: the name 'Slaughter' is derived from an ancient word 'slohtre' meaning 'muddy place' and has no connection with 'slaughter' or anything else of that nature!

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